Occupational safety: high-exposure trigger tasks on artificial stone.

The entire fabrication shop certification system was removed. This included the Slab Fabrication Activity Account, the application and certification process (Section 6359.4), initial deposit fees, 3-year certifications with renewal, and the prohibition on supplying slab solid surface products to uncertified shops.

Supply chain verification requirements were removed. The old version prohibited suppliers from providing slab solid surface products to uncertified fabricators, required consumers to verify certification before contracting, and required written perjury-based certifications from non-fabricator purchasers.

The legislative intent section was simplified. The old version listed three requirements including certification and supply chain restrictions. The new version lists: (1) prohibiting dry methods without effective wet suppression, (2) requiring more reporting and tracking of silicosis cases, and (3) closing gaps in current law for more effective enforcement.

The mandatory training curriculum requirements were removed. The old version required the department to adopt a training curriculum by July 1, 2026, required owners/operators to ensure employees complete training before work begins (effective July 1, 2027), and required annual attestation of employee training.

The bill's scope shifted from 'slab solid surface products' (which included both artificial and natural stone like granite and marble) to 'artificial stone' with specific silica content thresholds: more than 0.1 percent by weight crystalline silica for artificial stone, or more than 10 percent by weight for natural stone. The core regulated activity changed from broad 'fabrication activities' to 'high-exposure trigger tasks.'

Updated legislative findings with new data: workers identified with silicosis increased from 301 to 370, deaths from 15 to 21, lung transplants from 30 to 44, and median age at diagnosis from 45 to 46 years.

The definition of 'fabrication shop' was expanded from 'a location where fabrication activities are undertaken' to 'a person, entity, business, or location where fabrication activities are undertaken,' broadening who can be subject to the certification requirements.

Explicit exclusions for 'fired ceramic and fired porcelain tiles or panels manufacturing facilities' were added to both the 'fabrication activities' and 'fabrication shop' definitions, removing these types of manufacturers from the bill's coverage.

The prohibition on fabrication without certification now includes an exception: shops that have submitted a valid initial deposit (before July 1, 2027) or have a pending application for initial certification or renewal (after July 1, 2027) may continue operating. This creates a significant transition period.

Supply restrictions were relaxed: suppliers may now provide slab solid surface products to shops with a 'valid, or pending application for, certification' rather than requiring only a valid certification. The term was also expanded from 'person or entity' to 'person, entity, or business.'

The effective wet methods definition changed from 'one of the methods' to 'one or more of the methods,' allowing shops to combine multiple dust suppression approaches. A new requirement was added that recycled water must be filtered to remove silica before reuse.

The training verification process was changed: the department no longer 'certifies' individuals who complete the curriculum. Instead, it obtains written verification from the employer or shop owner/operator that the individual has completed the approved training.

A new provision allows a fabrication shop to continue operating if it has submitted an initial certification application and fee while awaiting inspection during the pendency of the certification application.

The requirement for the department to create a statewide tracking system to track the number of fabrication shops that have submitted a deposit (including posting it on the department's website) was removed entirely.

The certification start date was clarified to July 1, 2027 (the previous version had ambiguous markup showing 'January July 1, 2027'). A new provision allows fabrication shops to continue operating during the pendency of the application development process, with that permission becoming inoperative on July 1, 2027.

The definition of 'slab solid surface product' was expanded to include 'substance containing crystalline silica' and added 'and surface applications' to the use case. The 'artificial stone' definition was modified to say 'stone product' instead of 'stone,' added 'combining natural stone or other crystalline silica-containing materials,' and explicitly excluded fired ceramic and porcelain tiles and panels.

Updated silicosis statistics in the legislative findings: workers identified with silicosis increased from 132 to 258, deaths from 10 to 15, and lung transplants from 12 to 30, strengthening the justification for the bill.

The bill now amends Section 6302 of the Labor Code to add silicosis and silica-related lung cancer to the definition of 'serious injury or illness' under OSHA. This means a knowing, negligent, or willful violation causing these conditions can be prosecuted as a misdemeanor, a significant escalation from the prior version which explicitly stated violations were not crimes.

The chapter title changes from 'Fabrication Activities on Stone Slab Solid Surface Products' to 'Artificial Stone; Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica,' reflecting a shift in framing from product-specific regulation to exposure-based protection. The prohibition now targets 'high-exposure trigger tasks' rather than all 'fabrication activities.'

A new defined term 'high-exposure trigger task' is introduced, applying specifically to artificial stone containing more than 0.1 percent crystalline silica by weight or other silica-containing products (including natural stone) containing more than 10 percent crystalline silica by weight. This replaces the broader 'fabrication activities' framing for the core prohibition and adds specificity about which materials and tasks are covered.

The definition of 'fabrication shop' is expanded to exclude 'concrete and cement manufacturing facilities' (previously only 'concrete manufacturing facilities') and adds an exclusion for 'facilities that do not manufacture, fabricate, or finish artificial stone products.'

The bill now requires the owner or operator of a fabrication shop, or any individual employing another to perform high-exposure trigger tasks, to ensure employees receive specified training and, beginning July 1, 2026 and annually thereafter, to attest to the division that those employees have been trained. The division must enforce this by issuing a citation and notice of civil penalty.

New requirements for the State Department of Public Health to consider silicosis related to occupational exposure to artificial stone a serious illness, report such cases to the division, conduct activities to address silicosis risk in fabrication shops, and provide technical assistance to local health jurisdictions engaged in silicosis surveillance and prevention.

The bill now explicitly requires the division to enforce the wet methods prohibition by issuing a citation alleging a violation and a notice of civil penalty, adding a concrete enforcement mechanism that was not specified in the prior version.

Legislative findings statistics are updated: workers identified with silicosis increased from 301 to 370 (as of August 22, 2025), deaths from 15 to 21, lung transplants from 30 to 44, and median age at diagnosis from 45 to 46. The legislative intent section is restructured to add 'requiring more reporting and tracking of silicosis cases' and 'closing gaps in current law to allow for more effective enforcement' as stated goals.

The bill header changed from the enrolled format (showing Senate and Assembly passage dates with secretary signatures) to the chaptered law format showing 'STATE OF CALIFORNIA AUTHENTICATED ELECTRONIC LEGAL MATERIAL,' Chapter 734, and the Governor's approval date of October 13, 2025.

Page headers changed from 'SB 20' to 'Ch. 734' throughout the document, and line wrapping was adjusted to match the chaptered law layout.

The deadline for the department to begin granting fabrication shop certifications was moved from January 1, 2027 to July 1, 2027, giving shops an additional six months before they must hold a valid certification.

The prohibition on supplying slab solid surface products directly to uncertified fabrication shops was also moved from January 1, 2027 to July 1, 2027.

The bill now requires the Director of Industrial Relations to maintain an online tool for reporting suspected or alleged violations of the bill's provisions, in addition to the existing publicly accessible database of enforcement actions.

The tracking and record-keeping requirement now specifies that the department must consult with both the Division of Occupational Safety and Health AND the State Department of Public Health when maintaining records on fabrication shops, including citations for respirable crystalline silica violations.

The digest now explicitly states that a violation of the restrictions on supplying slab solid surface products to uncertified shops may be grounds for penalties as determined by the division, but is not a crime. This clarifies the penalty framework for supply-chain violations.

The training curriculum provision was changed from a statement of legislative intent ('It is the intent of the Legislature...that the department shall enact regulations') to a direct mandate requiring the department to enact or update regulations to further develop the training program and consult with apprenticeship programs, trade associations, and industry stakeholders.

References to 'approved apprenticeship programs' were clarified to specify they must be approved by the Division of Apprenticeship Standards.

Updated findings reflect significantly higher silicosis statistics: 258 workers identified with silicosis (up from 132), at least 15 deaths (up from 10), and at least 30 lung transplants (up from 12), strengthening the legislative justification for the bill.

Assembly Member Celeste Rodriguez was added as principal coauthor of the bill.

The responsible department for administering the certification program, training curriculum, statewide tracking system, and public database was changed from the State Department of Public Health (led by the State Public Health Officer) to the Department of Industrial Relations (led by the Director of Industrial Relations). This shifts oversight from a public health agency to the labor/occupational safety agency.

A new provision requires a person who seeks fabrication services and enters into a contract with a fabrication shop to verify that the shop holds a valid certification before engaging with it and providing slab solid surface products. This extends compliance obligations beyond just suppliers to end-consumers and general contractors.

The amendment specifies that a violation of the restrictions on supplying slab solid surface products to uncertified fabrication shops may be grounds for penalties as determined by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, but is not a crime. This clarifies the enforcement mechanism for supply-chain violations.

The prohibition on engaging in fabrication activities without certification was clarified to state that a violation may be reported to the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement but is not a crime, adding an additional reporting pathway alongside existing Cal/OSHA enforcement.